Photography Tour Overview: The Liguria
section of the Italian Riviera includes the
Mediterranean coastal villages of Portofino, and the
'five lands' of Cinque Terre namely Monterosso al
Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
Each is an extremely photogenic village sitting on
coastal cliffs or clinging to rocky harbors, and
their position off the beaten track adds to the
rustic and timeless impression they will have on you
and your photography. Also ancient Pisa, villages in
the mountains of northern Tuscany, plus the classic
Florence skyline image

Cinque Terre trails notice: The state of the trails directly along the coastline have been in flux for a couple of years following
extremely severe storms. Of the four trails between the five villages, only one or two have been open at any given time. However, in our opinion your photography is not impacted in a major way as 90% plus of images are found in clusters around the villages, and access to those spots is not affected.
If hardcore hiking is important to you, there are quite strenuous trails that deviate away from the coastline. As a guide I would not be able to join you on such trails as I will be leading the group to locations that are a regular part of our itinerary.

Our itinerary . . .

But wait just a moment, first things first! We suggest that you set your camera's clock to the local time, as your images will then synchronize with the times in our included photo tour
field notes.

Days 1, 2, 3 + 4 | Pisa and Cinque Terre
We'll start our Cinque Terre photography tour at
10:30 am at our gateway hotel. We'll then head directly
to Pisa's Piazza del Duomo [Cathedral Square].
It is here that stands Pisa's infamous leaning tower
plus the impressive cathedral, and Italy's largest Baptistery.
On to Cinque Terre National Park and our four night
home in Monterosso al Mare. Free time, dinner, and the
late light on the Mediterranean shot from around Monterosso
al Mare harbor.
On days 2, 3 and 4 we'll explore the 'five lands' of
Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and
Riomaggiore that collectively gave their name to Cinque
Terre. Each is a colorful, characterful village that
in some cases literally 'tumble down' to the rocky but
picturesque harbors. Each village is linked by a coastal
path which we'll explore each day taking as much time
as you need. The overviews of each village are spectacular,
and at street level they offer a potpourri of photogenic
nooks and crannies to be explored. The paths offer coastal
and rocky vistas with breaking waves, plus the symmetry
of quaint vineyards on the steep slopes that appear
to defy gravity. The locals who nurture the vines have
found a number ways to cope with the terrain, and are
themselves a photo op. We will also take a boat trip to colorful Porto Venere to the south and be out shooting
late, plus take midday breaks at our air-conditioned
hotel.
Monterosso al Mare, 4 nights

Day 5 | Via Barga to the Florence skyline
We'll finish our Cinque Terre photography early on day 5, and then make our way toward Florence. We'll take a route through the
northern Tuscan mountains for picturesque Barga, Ponte Maddelena
and more. Lastly, we'll shoot the classic Florence skyline image from Piazza
de Michelangelo. The included dinner on the last night of our photography tour will feature an 'It's You!' presentation of clients in action by John.
Near Florence airport, 1 night

Day 6 | Departure day
As there isn't any photography scheduled for the day of departure, your flight home can be arranged for any time today.

Enhancing Your Photography Skills: Describing the assistance you'll receive on one of our photography tours takes more than a few words, so for greater detail please go
here.

Exertion level: This photography tour is
classified as 'mildly strenuous' to
'strenuous' The
coastal walks vary from easy to difficult.
However, if need be one can get in the best
shots in the vicinity of each village, and
then take a boat or train to the next
village and meet the group there. All boat
and train transport is included in the trip
cost.

Our
clients can dictate their own pace, plus the remainder of the trip is moderately
strenuous

Do you need a Visa for travel to Italy? Travelers from all countries can do a quick check of visa requirements here or here Our international clients may need to contact the embassy of their intended destination in their own country for a visa. Go here or here

Photography Tour Cost, the Fine Details and Enrollment

Trip Cost: $2,879
USD per person not including airfare. A 5% discount is applied to all double occupancies. A single room supplement is required for single occupancy

Single Supplement: 14% of the base cost of the trip

The
deposit for this photography tour is $300. Pay a deposit, or your full trip
balance
here

Included in the Trip Cost: The following items are included in the trip cost . . .

Photography instruction throughout the trip by John

All accommodations with private facilities [ensuite]

All breakfasts

Lunch on day one of the trip

Dinner on the last night of the trip

On-vehicle snacks and bottled water

All ground transportation

Airport pick-up on day 1, and drop-off on departure day. Arrival prior to day 1 is not included